Vessel treating machine

ABSTRACT

A vessel treating machine comprising at least one treatment element for treating bottles having a collar in the area below its opening and a device for holding the bottle for treatment by the treatment element independently of the treatment element, the device comprising a supporting element for supporting the bottle from its collar and a centering element being distance-variable relative to the collar so that a bottle to be treated can be clamped between its collar and its opening and centered axially relative to the treatment element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a vessel treating machine of the revolvingtype.

Thin walled and unstable vessels, in particular plastic bottles, havebeen provided for quite some time with a stable collar in the area belowthe opening for reliable handling. Due to this, an especially designedcarrying element can engage the vessels at the collar and lift them tothe treatment element or station of a vessel treating machine. Due tothis handling ability, the formerly customary lifting cylinder acting onthe bottoms of the vessels can be eliminated.

So far, a plate with a U-shaped recess for the introduction and removalof the vessels from the treatment stations has been used as the carryingor supporting element in the most simple case. An exact centering of thevessel's opening with respect to a treatment element is not ensured,however, with such supporting elements, since, during the period of timefrom the pushing in of the vessel into the laterally open recess of thesupporting element until the lifting and pressing of the vessel'sopening against a seal at the filling element, the vessel does notexactly maintain its original position due to centrifugal forcesoccurring in rotary machines and also due to machine vibrations.

However, it is important that there be an exact centering of thevessel's opening, not only in the case of vessel inspection machines,but also filling valves with sensitive sensors. Especially in the caseof inspection machines it is often required that the vessel not bepressed against a sealing surface attached to the treatment element,like e.g. in filling valves, but the vessel must be positioned in anopen condition, i.e. not closed air-tightly, at an inspection probe. Inspecial cases, an exact vertical positioning of the vessel opening is ofimportance during the inspection process. All these requirements cannotbe satisfactorily fulfilled by the known devices.

As opposed to this, the invention is based on the object of bringingabout an improvement as regards a safe and fast handling with asimultaneously high centering accuracy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is attained in accordance with the present invention byproviding in a vessel treating machine of the revolving type having atleast one treatment element for treating a vessel on a revolving portionof the machine, the vessel having an upwardly directed opening with acollar below the opening, the improvement comprising a device forholding the vessel for treatment by the treatment element independentlyof said treatment element, said holding device comprising a supportingelement for supporting the vessel from its collar, means for moving thesupporting element and the treatment element relative to each other inthe axial direction of the vessel for treatment of the vessel by thetreatment element, a centering element located between the treatmentelement and supporting element, and means for moving the centeringelement and the supporting element relative to each other in the axialdirection of the vessel and independently of the treatment element toengage the opening of the vessel with the centering element to centerthe vessel axially relative to the axis of the treatment element and toclamp the vessel between said centering element and supporting elementby its opening and collar, respectively, for treatment of the vessel bythe treatment element.

A vessel fed to the supporting element of the machine can be clamped bya relative movement in axial direction between the provided centeringelement and the supporting element supporting the collar by theindicated device. During this clamping process an exact centering of thevessel opening with respect to the treatment element is effected at thesame time. For this purpose, the centering element is provided with acorrespondingly formed centering surface on its side facing the vesselopening. The clamping and centering process can either take place bylowering the centering element to the vessel opening or by lifting thesupporting element in the direction towards the centering element.Subsequently, the treatment element can be introduced into the vesselopening or, vice versa, the vessel can be moved in the direction towardsthe treatment element by means of a joint lifting of the centering andsupporting elements.

During the treatment process, both the centering position and the levelof the vessel opening with respect to the treatment element are keptimmovable by means of the device according to the invention. Tocompensate for inevitable production tolerances during the production ofthe vessels it is especially advantageous if the centering andsupporting elements are pressed against each other via a resilientelement for vessel clamping.

According to a development of the invention it is especiallyadvantageous if the required relative movements between the centeringand supporting elements, on the one hand, and the vessel opening and thetreatment element, on the other hand, can be carried out by a singlecontrol means. Due to this, the expenditures for control and the wearresulting during operation can be reduced to a minimum.

This can be implemented especially advantageously in a an arrangement ofthe vessel treatment element at a fixed height and an exclusive movementof the vessel.

The device according to the invention for handling vessels with collarcan be also be used for filling machines for the gas-tight sealing ofvessels with respect to a filling element in adapted form by using asealing in the area of the centering element, the operating pressure ofwhich deviates from atmospheric pressure during the filling process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention is explained in the drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the device of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device shown in FIG. 1 as seen in thedirection of arrow B, with the vessel and treatment element removed,and;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An inspection device for returnable plastic bottles is shown in FIG. 1.The device comprises a treatment element 7 having a probe 8 fordetecting any residues in the interior of vessels, which is rigidlyaffixed to the revolving part of a vessel treating machine designed likea carousel. An optional number of such treatment elements 7 may bedisposed in side-by-side relationship on a common partial circle. Therevolving part of the inspection machine, which is only partly outlinedand designed in the style of a carousel, consists in its radially outerportion substantially of two spaced parallel supporting plates 24,between which two guide rods 25 of annular cross-section, which are inparallel to each other, are rigidly disposed in each case per treatmentelement 7. They form a guide 13 for a carriage 18 formed from a sheetbent in U-shaped fashion, which is mounted vertically displaceably alongthe guide 13 by means of slide bushings. A control means 11 is providedfor controlling movement of carriage 18. As embodied, the control meanscomprises a cam roller 22 supported on the side of carriage 18 directedtowards the machine's center, which cooperates with a control cam 23disposed in the area between the vessel discharge and feeding stationsof the machine. The control cam 23 exists as a cam segment only in arestricted revolving area of the machine. The cam roller 22 does notrest against any control cam in the remaining revolving area of themachine.

Two rods 26 being parallel to each other are disposed on the radiallyouter side between the two legs of the U-shaped carriage 18, whichfollow the vertical movement of the carriage 18 and form a guide 14 fora centering element 3. The centering element 3 is also designed as aU-shaped plate with slide bushings, the lower leg of the plate extendingradially outwardly beyond the probe 8 of the treatment element 7. Acircular opening 10 is provided concentric to the longitudinal axis 16of the probe 8 in this leg. The side of opening 10 facing the vessel 4is shaped as a centering surface 9, which is adapted to the shape of theopening 6 of the vessel. A U-shaped supporting element 2 designed as anangle plate and adapted to support a vessel from its neck collar 5 isrigidly screwed to the two rods 26 at a distance below the centeringelement 3.

A stop 20 which is vertically adjustable along the rods 26 is moreoverfastened below the supporting element 2 in clampable fashion to thesame, which defines the operating position of the centering element 3and of the supporting element 2 in cooperation with a stop body 12fastened to the guide rods 25. The stop body 12 is designed in bipartitefashion and can be clamped vertically adjustably to the guide rods 25 bymeans of clamping screws.

A spring-elastic element 19, which as shown, are coil springssurrounding the guide rods 25 acts continuously on the carriage 18 tobias it in the direction towards the treatment element 7, the elementacting between the upper side of the stop body 12, which is fixed asregards its height, and the upper leg of the carriage 18.

In the same fashion, centering element 3 is continually acted upon by aspring-elastic element 17 to bias it in the opposite direction towardsthe supporting element 2. This is also carried out by means of two coilsprings which are disposed in each case on one of the two rods 26 in thearea between the legs of the centering element 3. The springs 17 aresupported with one end on the lower leg of the centering element 3 andwith their opposite end on a set collar 27 fastened to the rod 26.

As can be recognized especially well in FIG. 3, the centering element 3has an adjustable stop element 21 in the area between the two guide rods25, which defines jointly with the upper side of the stop body 12 fixedas regards its height the ready position of the centering element 3 inthe area between vessel discharge and feeding means.

A complete treatment cycle takes place as follows: The device adopts theposition represented in FIG. 1 in the feeding means of the machine. Thevessels 4 to be introduced into the machine slide on stationarilydisposed guide plates (not shown) with their collars 5. in alignmentwith that of a supporting element 2. By means of a feeding star drivensynchronously to the machine and engaging the vessel body, a vessel isintroduced into the U-shaped recess of the supporting element 2 from thesaid guide plates and rests with its collar 5 on the upper side of thesupporting element 2. The vertical position of the supporting element 2in this so-called ready position is determined by the contour of thecontrol cam 23 which comes into play in this position, cam roller 22being held in pressed fashion against cam 23 by the spring-elasticelement 19. At the same instance, the lower side of centering element 3is only a few millimetres above the opening 6 of the vessel 4 thisposition being determined by the stop element 21 fastened to thecentering element 3, which can be seen in FIG. 3, and the upper side ofthe stop body 12. The contour of the control cam 23 is designed in sucha fashion that during the further revolution of the machine, the camroller 22, the carriage 18 and the supporting element 2 being fastenedthereto can move upwardly under the spring force of the element 19 untilshortly thereafter the opening 6 enters into the opening 10 of thecentering element 3, the vessel being centered at the same time underthe influence of the centering surface 9. The result of this is that,during the further movement, the centering element 3, and thus the stopelement 21 are lifted from the stop body 12 in the direction towards theprobe 7 until the stop 20 comes to rest against the lower side of thestop body 12, whereby the upward movement of the carriage and allelements attached thereto is stopped.

The control cam 23 ends at this point. Due to the dynamic effect of thespring element 17, the vessel 4 to be inspected is clamped betweenelements 2 and 3 by its collar 5 and opening 6 in form-fit fashion. Thenecessary inspection processes are then carried out in this operatingposition.

Prior to the reaching of the vessel discharge, the cam roller 22 runsonto the control cam 23 which begins there, so that the carriage 18 andthus the vessel 4 is lowered downwardly under the influence of springelement 19. As soon as the stop element 21 of the centering element 3contacts the stop body 12 an its upper side, the downward movement ofthe centering element 3 is terminated, while the carriage 18 togetherwith the supporting element 2 continues to slide downwardly. This causesan enlargement of the distance between the centering element 3 and thesupporting element 2, whereby the opening 6 of the vessel 4 is releasedfrom element 3. The downward movement of the vessel is stopped when thebottom of the vessel impacts on a transfer plate 28. The contour of thecontrol cam 23 can be designed in such fashion that the supportingelement 2 still continues to move slightly downwardly with respect tothe collar 5 so as to thereby completely release the vessel 4. At thesame time, the vessel 4 is gripped at the body portion by a dischargestar (not shown) and guided onto a discharge conveyor. Thereafter, thedevice 1 reaches again the feeding star, whereby the described workingcycle starts again in the same fashion.

I claim:
 1. In a vessel treating machine of the revolving type having atleast one treatment element for treating a vessel on a revolving portionof the machine, the vessel having an upwardly directed opening with acollar below the opening and the treatment element having a terminal endrequired to be centered with respect to the opening of the vessel, theimprovement comprising a device for holding the vessel for treatment bythe treatment element independently of said treatment element, saidholding device comprising a supporting element for supporting the vesselfrom its collar, means for moving the supporting element and thetreatment element relative to each other in the axial direction of thevessel for treatment of the vessel by the treatment element, a centeringelement located between the terminal end of the treatment element andsupporting element, and means for moving the centering element and thesupporting element relative to each other in the axial direction of thevessel and independently of the treatment element to engage the openingof the vessel with the centering element to center the vessel axiallyrelative to the axis of the treatment element and to clamp the vesselbetween said centering and supporting elements by its opening andcollar, respectively, for treatment of the vessel by the treatmentelement.
 2. The vessel treating machine of claim 1, wherein the holdingdevice is mounted for axial movement relative to the treatment element.3. The vessel treating machine of claim 1, wherein the centering elementhas an opening with a centering surface facing the vessel adapted to thecontour of said vessel opening.
 4. The vessel of claim 3, wherein theopening in the centering element is concentrically aligned with thetreatment element.
 5. The vessel treating machine of claims 1, 2, 3 or4, wherein the supporting element comprises a plate-shaped part having asubstantially U-shaped recess therein open towards one side to receivethe vessel below its collar.
 6. The vessel treating machine of claim 1,wherein the treatment element is fixedly mounted and the supportingelement and the centering element are displaceable in an axial directionrelative to the treatment element.
 7. The vessel treating machine ofclaim 6, wherein the means for moving the supporting element relative tothe treatment element and the means for moving the centering element andthe supporting element relative to each other are controlled by a singlecontrol means.
 8. The vessel treating machine of claim 7, wherein a stopbody on the revolving portion of the machine fixed relative to thetreatment element defines the position of the centering element and thesupporting element when the vessel is clamped by said elements.
 9. Thevessel treating machine of claim 8, wherein the supporting element ismoved towards the centering element to engage the opening of the vesselwith the centering element and the stop body defines the position of thecentering element before the vessel is brought into engagement with it.10. The vessel treating machine of claim 6, wherein the supportingelement is rigidly connected to a guide on the holding device, saidguide extending parallel to the axis of the treatment element, thecentering element being displaceably mounted on said guide.
 11. Thevessel treating machine of claim 10, wherein the centering element isbiased in a direction towards the supporting element by a spring means.12. The vessel treating machine of claim 11, wherein the guide isrigidly disposed on a carriage displaceably guided in parallel to theaxis of the treatment element on the revolving portion of the machine.13. The vessel treating machine of claim 12, wherein the carriage isbiased in a direction towards the treatment element by a spring means.14. The vessel treating machine of claim 13, wherein the stop body inconnection with a cooperating stop mounted on the carriage limits thetravel of the carriage in the direction towards the treatment element.15. The vessel treating machine of claim 14, wherein the stop body andthe cooperating stop are adjustable relative to each other.
 16. Thevessel treating machine of claim 13, wherein a stop element on thecentering element in combination with the stop body limits movement ofthe centering element away from the treatment element.
 17. The vesseltreating machine of claim 13, wherein the control means comprise a camroller mounted on the carriage which cooperates with a control camsurface that is stationary with respect to the revolving portion of thevessel treating machine.
 18. The vessel treating machine of claim 17,wherein the control cam surface is a cam segment extending in the areabetween a vessel discharge and feeding position of the machine.
 19. Thevessel treating machine of claim 17, wherein the lower end position ofthe supporting element is defined by the control cam.